Black History: Martin Luther King
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”’ Martin Luther King, Jr. on the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
Since the day King spoke his ‘I have a dream’ speech, the effects have rippled down the years. It has come to represent the legacy King left behind and symbolizes the vision King had for the future.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in January 1929. His father was a Baptist minister and his mother was a schoolteacher. Both parents believed in the importance of a good education and spurred him to succeed academically. He had a passion for reading and as child, his mother would often educate him on prejudices and explain to him the Jim Crow Laws that separated whites from blacks. Later in King’s adult life, he and other black leaders formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight those same laws his mother had taught him about. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and the Civil Rights Movement turned out to be the last chapter of his life, eventually leading to his assassination on April 4 1968. He was only 39 years old.
Since his assassination, King has been celebrated for his political activism and he has found his rightful place in American history as a defender of justice and equality. MLK has also become a cultural icon. In 2009, the play The Mountaintop, written by acclaimed American playwright Katori Hall, presented Martin Luther King, Jr. the night before his assassination. With David Harewood in the lead role, the Mountaintop had a very successful run in London. And Steven Spielberg is supposed to chronicle Martin Luther King’s Life in a biopic.
Martin Luther King’s Day is celebrated in America on the third Monday of January, to coincide with the human rights activist birthday (January 15). Events are being held throughout the USA, such as the advance screening of Fighting For Justice, presented by the NYC Media And Commission Of Human Rights at the Apollo Theatre.
A little closer to home, the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green, London is holding a series of events under the banner Let the Freedom Ring from Monday 18 January to Wednesday 23 January. The movie Malcolm X will be screened, and Award winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste will perform a piece inspired by the spirit of Dr Martin Luther King’s momentous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. The political organization Operation Black Vote is bringing over Reverend Al Sharpton to commemorate MLK’s day on Thursday 21 January. Kwame Kwei-Armah, Diane Abbott and other high profile guests will also deliver speeches.
